A delicious tale of love, mud, money and mayhem; her best yet in my opinion. This author has a wonderful knack of gently ridiculing the middle-classes and the rich, of turning ordinary situations into escapades of total madness and of developing wonderfully eccentric characters. She really is the most tremendous fun.

Comparison: Victoria Clayton, Plum Sykes, Lou Wakefield.

Synopsis

The beautiful village of Allsop seemed shire bliss?

When Mary meets Monty, heir to a stately pile, happiness seems assured. But as the mansion crumbles, passion wanes along with the heating.

Bankers wife Beth swaps Notting Hill for weekends at a bijou cottage. They only offered a smidgeon over the asking price.So why don't the locals like them?

Eco-harridan Morag is the terror of the village, with her objections to everyone and everything.

Über-WAG Alexandra needs a footballers mansion and fast. There must be a Hello!-tastic country pile with spa, champagne bar and parking for six SUVs somewhere?

Ambitions clash when the village launches an allotment project and no one escapes the bitter struggle over sex, power and money which threatens to blight more than everyone's carrots.

Reviews

"Up there with the best of Jilly Cooper" THE TIMES

About the Author

Wendy Holden was a journalist on The Sunday Times, Tatler and The Mail on Sunday before becoming a full-time author. She has written eight novels, all Top Ten bestsellers. She is married and has two children. Photo © Martin Beddall More books by this author Author 'Like for Like' recommendation